Piano case



A. A. DIEBOLD Jan. 30, 1962 PIANO CASE Filed Dec. 1', 195s y@ rr Z775 United States Patent() ffice 3,018,631 PIANO CASE Albert Anthony Diebold, Fennville, Mich., assignor to Meridan Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Washington Filed Dec. 1, 1958, Ser. No. 777,284 1 Claim. (Cl. 84-177) This invention relates generally to piano cases, and more specifically to an improved piano case cover lock incorporated therein. v

Although .the principles of the present invention may be included in various piano cases, a particularly useful application is made in pianos of the upright type. In particular, when such pianos are utilized in schools, it seems that the interior thereof is rather attractive to some of the pupils who not infrequently open the covers of conventional pianos, throw foreign objects therein, tamper with action components, and generally cause mischief. y

Further, school pianos are frequently stored in rooms having less than ideal humidity conditions.y For ex* ample, in some school systems, the gymnasium also serves as an auditorium so that the piano is kept in effect in the gymnasium, where the humidity not infrequently becomes relatively high due to water vapor corning from ythe showers. In such an environment," conventional piano covers, not being built to the same rugged standards as the rest of `the piano, tend to absorb moisture and to warp.

The present invention contemplates the utilization of cover locking or attaching means which makes difficult unauthorized access to the interior of the piano, and which rigidly holds the piano cover in position by means sufficiently strong to overcome any forces tending to cause warping. However, when a piano tuner needs access to the interior of the piano, he, being provided with an appropriate tool, can readily release and remove the cover for access to the interior of the piano case.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide means for attaching a piano cover of a piano case to the remainder of the case whereby the piano case is rendered tamper-proof- Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved cover attaching means for a piano case.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved piano attaching means for a cover case which is so constructed as to preclude cover warpage in response to abnormal humidity.

Many other advantages, features and additional objects of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheet of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

lOn the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an end view of an upright piano equip piano includes a case 11 having a cover 12 secured thereto. The case 11 also includes a front wall 13, a rear wall 14, and end walls 15 and 16, arranged in a rectangular configuration so that the upper edges of the walls 13-16 define an opening closed by the cover 12 disposed thereabove. If desired, the front wall 13 may include a pair of pilasters 17.

To the undersurface 18 of the cover 12 there is secured a block 19, such as by one or more screws 20. The block 19 is thus secured to the surface 18 at a point immediately adjacent to the inner wall 21 of the front wall 13. The forward surface of the block 219 and the rear side of the front wall 13 are each provided with an aperture within which there is disposed a pin 22, the pin 22 in this embodiment being rigidly carried by the block 20 and slidably received-by the front wall 13. Of course, a reversal of this arrangement is also advantageous.

Intermediate the cover 12 and the side walls, there are provided felts (not shown) to preclude relative vibration therebetween. The pin 22 is so located that the cover 12 holds such felts in slight compression, thereby precluding any vibration in the vertical direction. It can be seen that if the cover 12 be caused to slide rearwardly, the pin 22 would permit disengagement of the front wall 13 or of the cover block 19 therefrom.

A bracket -30 is securedto the underside 18 of the cover 12 at a location remote from the'block 19. In this embodiment, the bracket 30 comprises aL first leg 31 which is horizontally disposedand which is secured as by screws 32 directly to the underside of the cover 12. The bracket 30 further includes a second leg 33 which is vertically ydirected and which depends from the outer end of the first leg along the rear side of the rear wall 14.

A plate 34 is secured in recessed relation to the rear side of the rear wall 14, and is provided with a horizontal threaded opening which is aligned with a horizontal opening in the leg 33 for receiving a headed screw 35 therethrough. The plate 34 is secured to the rear wall C14 as by screws 36.

Preferably the head of the screw 3S is oval-shaped so that it does not comprise an obstruction which could engage clothing or the like. Further, the head of the screw 35 is preferably provided with a tool receiving or engaging portion 37 of a type where the most common available tools will not co-rotatably mate. Thus, while a conventional slotted head is advantageous, it must be recognized that Screwdrivers are relatively common and that some coins or other objects could easily prove the means by which access could be obtained to the piano. Likewise, while a hexagonal head would be advantageous, it too would be relatively easy to loosen as by an open end wrench, pliers, or the like. Cross-slot type of screw heads, such as is commonly known as a Phillips head are valso advantageous, but have the disadvantage that such Screwdrivers are not uncommon and that conventional Screwdrivers will usually avail in releasing such a screw. Accordingly, I have provided a socket head of the hexagonal type, and while smaller sizes of hexagonal wrenches are not uncommon, and while screwdriver bits can frequently loosen socket head screws, I have provided a relatively large socket. Thus for example, a socket head having a dimension across the ats of at least 3/8 will render it impossible for nearly all Screwdrivers to be used in releasing the screw 35. This embodiment is representative of structures requiring a special tool to be released, as distinguished from structures which can be released without any tool, or with an ordinary hand tool such as a coin, screwdriver, open end wrench, or pliers.

The aligned apertures or openings in which the screw 35 is received have a horizontal axis which is disposed downwardly from the undersurface 18 of the cover 12 Patented Jan. 30, 1962 such a distance that the cover 12 is again held down ward in a tight manner.

It is to be understood that fastening means of the type disclosed herein may be employed in advantageous arrangements with piano covers, and in various numbers. However, in this embodiment, there is one pin 22 disposed in the vicinity of the right front corner of the cover 12 and one in the vicinity of the left front corner of the cover 12. Similarly, there is a bracket 33- disposed near each of the right and left rear corners of the cover 12.

Thus it can be seen that a means yfor holding down the cover 12 is provided at each corner thereof so that there is provided a reactive force to any force tending to cause or result from cover warpage. Thus the means shown jointly serve to hold the cover in a at condition even in the presence of relatively high humidity.

It can also be seen that the conventional appearance of a piano provided with this fastening means has not been changed and the casual observer would not be aware that the conventional piano hinge and accessability are not present. This has a psychological effect because when a child grasps the front of the cover to try to raise it, and failing to do so, he will become discouraged in his efforts and usually not make further inquiry to see if a non-conventional cover attachment means is employed. However, should he note that the mode of attachment and locking dilfers from other pianos, it can be seen that the disposition, arrangement, and character of the means employed in this invention will frustrate hisy efforts to gain access to the interior of the piano.

Although various minor modications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such embodiments as reasonably 4 and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

In -a piano case for an upright piano, said case having a rectangular arrangement of vertical front, rear and side walls and a cover disposed at the upper edges of said walls for enclosing only the piano 4action therein, the improvement for precluding access to the interior of the piano case while the piano is in a playable condition, said improvement comprising in combination therewith: a block secured to the lower surface of the cover adjacent to the inner side of the front wall; means on the inner side of said front wall defining an aperture disposed adjacent to and extending parallel to said cover; a horizontal pin secured in said block and freely slidably re ceived in said aperture; a rigid angle bracket disposed totally remote from the top surface of the cover and having a leg secured to the lower surface of the cover adjacent to said rear wall of said case, and a second leg; means securing said second leg to said rear wall, said means being detachable solely with a special tool; said bracket and said means being operative to preclude disengagement of said pin, whereby said cover is normally immovable; said securing means being removable by the special tool only in a direction parallel to and away from said pin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 288,097 Morrison Nov. 6, 1883 473,308 Fischer Apr. 19, 1892 864,363 Fisher Aug. 27, 1907 999,891 Shepard Aug. 8, 1911 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,189 Great Britain 1893 

